The Dallas Center Rotary Club made a $9,000 Tuesday to support the Dallas Center ice skating rink in Mound Park.
“In early January, the Rotary Club decided to help the town build and equip a shed similar to the one used for roller skating in Mound Park,” said Rotary Club President Mary Ireland in presenting the check. “This shed would be placed beside the ice rink in Heritage Park. It will hold ice skates and other necessary equipment to loan to youth and adults who want to try a new sport. We also will have the counter space to maintain the equipment, provide some concessions, and allow for ease in loaning out equipment.”
The Dallas Center Parks and Recreation Board and the Dallas Center City Council accepted the Rotary Club’s offer and agreed to construct a concrete platform for the shed, to run electricity to it and to install a street light to allow evening skating if the club could gather most of the shed costs.
The rise of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic slowed but did not stop progress on the project, and the Rotarians obtained grants from the Dallas County Foundation and the Rotary 6000 Foundation as well as club and community donations, raising $9,000 of the needed $11,000 for building the shed.
The club reserved another $2,000 to equip the shed with skate hangers, at least 30 pairs of new ice skates and the counter spaces to manage the skate and hot drinks distribution.
“Now, we just need a typical Iowa winter and the community can experience a new and enjoyable family activity,” Ireland said.
Accepting the donation were Dallas Center Mayor Michael Kidd, City Dallas Center Clerk Cindy Riesselman, Dallas Center Parks and Recreation Board Chair Mary Werch and of Sun Rise Sheds owner Zachary Funk.
Following the ceremony, Kidd and Riesselman updated Rotary Club members with plans for future improvements in the city, including upgrading the waste water and drinking water systems, continuing road improvements, adding an accessible playground to Mound Park, completing the library expansion, designing the streetscape for Walnut Street and developing a plan for improving sidewalks throughout the city.
